Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1887-02-28
agricultural department.
FarmIng as a Profitable Business

FARMING aS d Z LOL1 JIG IL NNoAAAOoSo-
Farming does not mean simply
stirring the soil, sowing the seed and
harvesting the crops, but from the be-
ginning OF the wear to & e end there
should hP constant production IN
every possible manner. While the
crops are growing the future food Is
being prepared, but as soon as 1t Is
harvested it should be made still more
sevicesable by being converted into
some higher-priced product. While an
acre of land may produce fifty bushels
of corn on its part, vet that corn may
nearly all find its way back to the
soil that produced it, only that por-
ton being sold that will repay the
cost of converting it into beef, NUT
ton, pork. wool, milk muscle or what
ever it may contribute. The farmer
who can so manage as to his soil the
larger portion by dispOsing of that
which is more readily salable in some
other shape, will gradually become
wealthy, though the actual receipts
may be apparently small.
Farming is a continuous operation.
1t is the changing of products from
one kind to another according to the
demand for each. In estimating the
value of a bushel of corn produced
on the farm. and fed to stock, it
must be regarded as cheaper to the
farmer than to other pei sons, since he
does not have to transport it to mar
ket, and when charging it to his an
imaIs as food he should deduct from
the market cost the expense which
he would otherwise incur for bagging,
handling, hauling and freight. The
true value of the corn is that which
it produces. The rule Of charging
interest for the corn as n crop, and
also on the beef or milk derived
from it, often causes the accounts to
appear unfavorable. 1t is the final
disposition of the crop that regulates
its value. If it disappers from the
farm in the carcase of the the steer
it stands in the position as If the
steer grew upon the land instead of
the corn, the corn being only a COM
ponent part of the steer in the shape
of marketable beef. If the crop be
fed to the COW. and the milk sold off
the farm, the crop is simply sent
away in the milk cans in place of bags
and, instead of being compelled to sell
the entire crop in order to realize
certain sum, the change of form by con-
conversion into other product results
in the securing of an equal sum from
only a portion of the crop. Hence
the farmer should aim to sell as little
as possible off the farm. That is, he
should endeavor TO secure the largest
sum possible with the smallest amount
of product by converting all crops in
to those that are less bulky snd com
mand the higher prices. But the
farming business requires system. 1t
calls for the use of all kinds Of suita-
bic machinery and stock. As no
manufacturer of cotton goods can
afford to weave his goods with hand
looms, neither can the farmer expect
to make farming profitable unless he
takes advantage of all opportunities
open to him. If his crops are to be
fed on thefarm and rendered servicea-
bic in producing something else
through the agency of stock, such
stock must be perfectly adapted to
the purpose designed. The largest
increase at the least cost and in the
shortest period of time should be the
rule, and upon this depends the turn
ing point between profit and Loss
PhIadelDLid Record.